Apparatus and method for changing the text portion of logos for postage meters

Abstract

An apparatus for changing the text portion of logos for postage meters includes a printer module for a fully electronically produced postage meter imprint having an advertising logo, at least one input, a display unit, an input/output control module, a nonvolatile memory for at least unchanging parts of the postage meter imprint, a control device, and a printer control for producing a printed pattern having been formed by a microprocessor-controlled printing process immediately prior to printing of fixed data and current data and being available in buffer-stored form. A first memory region is provided for storing data for the unchanging parts of the postage meter imprint applying at least to a frame of an advertising logo, and an associated name identifying the logo frame. A second memory region is provided for storing data for variable parts of the postage meter imprint applying to at least one logo text portion, and an associated name identifying the logo text portion. A third memory region is provided for storing data for a first association of the names of the logo text portions with the names of the logo frames. A method for changing the text portion of logos for postage meters includes loading agreed-upon types of logos by modem or chip card, selecting a logo frame, editing a text portion of a logo in the postage meter, and composing and displaying a complete view of a postage meter imprint.

We claim: 
     
       1. An apparatus for changing changeable parts of imprints for postage meters, comprising: a printer module for producing a postage meter imprint having;   at least one input means having bar code conversion means;   a display unit;   an input/output control module connected to said at least one input means and to said display unit;   a nonvolatile memory for storing at least unchanging parts of the postage meter imprint;   a control device connected to said input/output control module and to said nonvolatile memory; and   a printer control connected to said control device and to said printer module for producing a printed pattern having been formed by a microprocessor-controlled printing process immediately prior to printing of fixed data and current data and being available in buffer-stored form;   said nonvolatile memory having:   a first memory region for storing data for the unchanging parts of the postage meter imprint applying at least to a frame of unchanging parts, and an associated name identifying the frame;   a second memory region for storing data for variable parts of the postage meter imprint applying to at least one changing part, and an associated name identifying the at least one changing part; and   a third memory region for storing data for a first association of the names of the at least one changing part with the names of the frames.   
     
     
       2. Apparatus for changing changeable parts of a logo printed by a postage meter, comprising: a printer module for printing the logo, the printer module including;   data input means, the data input means having at least one of a modem, a chip card, and bar code conversion means;   a display unit for displaying the logo;   an input/output control module; and   a nonvolatile memory,   the nonvolatile memory including; a first memory region for storing data defining unchanging parts of the logo, said unchanging parts including at least one logo frame;   a second memory region for storing data defining variable parts of the logo, including at least a logo text portion, and a logo name identifying the logo text portion;   a third memory region for storing data defining a first association of the logo name with the logo text portion; and   a control device having inputs from said input/output control module and said nonvolatile memory, and a printer control having an input connected to said control device and an output connected to said printer control module.